This disclosure is related to the general field of time and data recording, storage, retrieval, organization and transfer, particularly related to the analysis of behaviors. This device is a direct-entry information collection, storage and retrieval device that provides a means to collect, store, organize, analyze, transfer and graphically display relevant behavioral event and program information as well as to provide alarm reminders at specific times or time intervals for selected events or behaviors.
The CDC estimates that currently 1:68 children and 1:42 boys are identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and that in 2008 it was estimated that 1:6 children had been diagnosed with some type of developmental disability. (cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html) With the incidence of ASD and developmental disabilities on the rise, there has been a growing need for effective treatment methods. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an empirically validated method of treatment for children and adults with autism and related disorders which has been endorsed by many organizations including the American Academy of Neurology, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institute of Mental Health. (appliedbheaviorcenter.com/aba-endorsements/). In addition, a mental health report released by the United States Attorney General stated that “thirty years of research [has] demonstrated the efficacy of applied behavior methods in reducing inappropriate behavior and in increasing communication, learning and appropriate social behavior.” (appliedbheaviorcenter.com/aba-endorsements/).
When using ABA methodology, accurate data collection is critical to obtaining valid data for the analyses used to successfully treat individuals with behavioral challenges. Data collection is typically recorded in a written format on data sheets as it occurs during a treatment session and then is subsequently graphed and analyzed. It can be difficult for behaviorists to remember and accurately record data on paper in a fast-paced program. It can also be distracting to the student when the teacher interrupts treatment after each opportunity to write down data. Furthermore, it can be cumbersome for a behaviorist to carry a pencil, paper and a timing device with them at all times. Finally, the written method leaves all the organization of the information up to the behaviorist, which requires even more time and attention and allows for a greater possibility of human error when transferring data.
Recently, there has been an emergence of computer programs and applications which record, transfer, organize and analyze ABA-related data in much the same way the present invention does. However, these programs are usually dependent on the use of a personal computer device, such as a tablet or smart phone, and would subject the user to much of the same difficulties described in the cross-referenced patent application Ser. No. 14/138,000, specifically in reference to baby behavior tracking applications on smart phones used by parents.
Without a dedicated device for data collection, transfer, organization and analysis in computer-based ABA programs, applications must be accessed through personal computing devices. For a number of reasons, the present invention is more practical than using personal computing devices to record, transfer, organize and analyze behavioral data.
First, personal computing devices usually have a myriad of professional and personal uses. They are often transported between users and locations which can make them susceptible to accidental damage particularly because the screen of a computer tablet (the preferred device used in home and school computer-based ABA programs) is delicate and can be easily scratched or cracked. It is probably more likely for this to occur when behaviorists are handling maladaptive and aggressive behaviors. However, the construction of the present behavior tracking device is much sturdier than most computer tablets with a significantly smaller screen that is surrounded and protected by several inches of plastic around each of its sides thus reducing the risk of damage to the device if inadvertently dropped.
Second, the tablet's size can be cumbersome for a teacher to physically manipulate when recording data during a treatment session. This is especially true when working with younger children, with whom the teacher usually sits in small chairs or on the floor at small desks with them. The tablet would occupy considerable workspace on the child's desk and would have to be placed on the teacher's lap or on the floor next to the teacher, again making the device prone to accidental damage. This problem is essentially eliminated when using the present invention which is palm-sized, inconspicuous and has a convenient clip, which can convert to a stand and can easily be fastened to fabric to be worn around the user's neck or wrist.
Third, using a tablet to track behavior and record data can be quite distracting to students, particularly for those with autism and developmental disabilities, who often have difficulty blocking out peripheral stimuli. A tablet could easily divert a student's attention when a teacher uses it to record data, especially when that tablet is also used as reinforcement or for other program activities.
Fourth, since it has become quite common for behaviorists to use applications on computer tablets not only as reinforcement during a treatment session but also to conduct program-related activities, when the tablet is being used in one of these ways, it prohibits the behaviorist from taking data on those particular activities or behaviors.
Fifth, operating the tablet during a treatment session can be awkward and time-consuming for a teacher, who must access the application again after each time it is used for a program activity or as reinforcement. Then, within the program itself, the teacher must navigate between screens to record data for different programs and behaviors. In spending time to access different functions of the tablet, the teacher may miss or forget important data, especially if the student is engaging in maladaptive behaviors that may be occurring rapidly. In the present device, almost every function that would be used in a treatment session can be accessed on the face of the device requiring little or no navigation.